Shut Up and Kiss Me || Ethan Dolan

4: Inspect Her Gadget

She's never been good at relaxing when something needs to be done. She can relax if there isn't anything on her plate, but not until then. Even if taking a small break might help her be more productive in the long run, she rarely does. Sometimes she gets so bad that Ava and Lara have to force her to take a day off school or work, or whatever it may be, instead of letting her overwork herself.

The thing is, she likes keeping busy. Genuinely. It just sometimes gets to be too much.

Blake is sitting at the kitchen table again, almost finished editing for the newspaper when her phone buzzes. She considers ignoring it, but then is worried that one of her friends may need her so she stops working for a moment.

Ethan: can we hang?
Blake: No

Leaving it at that, she puts her phone down. But it buzzes again, multiple times. She knows he won't stop if she doesn't at least tell him why.

Ethan: c'mon chérie
Ethan: barely seen you since the night I walked you home
Ethan: don't tell me you're avoiding me. scared I'm gonna seduce you?
Blake: I'm busy
Blake: Literally couldn't hangout if I wanted to
Ethan: with?
Blake: School stuff mostly
Ethan: if I promise to be good and help can I come sit on your apartment floor and annoy you a little bit
Blake: I really have to get this stuff done Dolan. If you push me too much I WILL kick you out

He doesn't respond, so she assumes he's on his way over. That's proven to be true when there's a knock just a few minutes later.

"It's open!" Blake calls.

Truthfully, she knows better than to let him come over. But if anyone might be able to handle her being snippy other than Ava and Lara, it's probably Ethan.

The boy never gets bothered by her words, he only brushes them off the way she brushes off his advances. They're a surprisingly good pairing in that aspect. Neither are easily offended, and they can bounce playful insults off of one another or annoy each other like it's nothing.

The first thing he does is ask, "Got any salt?"

Blake raises her eyebrows, not looking up from her laptop. "Yeah? Why?"

Ethan shoves his hand in front of her face so she doesn't have to look up. It's covered in an oddly sticky substance that stretches with his fingers. "It only really comes off with salt. I just got done pranking the Beta house with a couple other guys," he says, laughing and spotting what he needs on the table. "It's j-lube. When it gets wet, it gets super fucking sticky. We snuck into their house and floured the president and some other members while they were in the showers. They're gonna be trying to get that shit off for ages."

"Mature," she mumbles. "Prank war going well?"

"This is really just the start of it, but I'd say we're winning. Fuckin' hate those guys." He gets the substance off easily with the salt, smiling and walking toward her table. He then pulls one of the chairs out and goes to sit down. "I can't believe you agreed to let me come over so easily, chérie."

She shrugs, shaking her head and telling him not to sit. "Wanna do me a favor?"

"Anything, though I hope it's--"

"It's not sexual, asshole," she mutters, not even glancing at him. She hasn't since he walked in, too close to being done her current task. "Could you cut up a cucumber for me? You can have some too. There's one in the fridge drawer. I've only eaten junk today."